The present invention relates generally to boat lifts for elevating boats out of the water when not in use and, more particularly, to a readily transportable boat lift.
Boat lifts are well known in the art for raising a boat, sailboat, jet ski, pontoon boat, or other small watercraft out of the water to protect it from the surf, algae, sea animals, etc. Most known boat lift devices employ cables for raising and lowering the hoistable carriage. One such boat lift is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,595,313, wherein the lift includes an inclined track assembly having a lower end fastened adjacent a rearward frame part and an upper end fastened near the forward frame part. The inclined track assembly includes tracks that are deployed at an angle between about 10.degree. to 45.degree. from a horizontal. The boat platform is mounted for movement on the track.
Another boat lift design is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,027,492. This boat lift includes a flotation system to provide a buoyant support during transportation of the boat lift in the water to and from a desired anchorage. The flotation system includes flotation devices that are attached to the framework via a second cable system. After the boat lift has been manually positioned in a desired location, a take-up device is operated to permit gravity induced lowering of the base portion into engagement with the bottom of the body of water. Thereafter, the float devices are removed, and the lift is permitted to reside in its normal rest or inoperative condition. At the completion of the boating season, the boat lift is raised and transported to a suitable on-shore storage area by first attaching floating devices to the submerged lift which are then employed to raise the lift into its transport condition.
Although boat lifts, such as those described above, are manufactured in a wide variety of designs for raising an lowering a boat, they generally have one common drawback. They are very difficult and often expensive to remove and store for the off-season, which is necessary in colder climates in order to protect them from damage caused by ice and other harsh winter conditions. Although the boat lift described in the U.S. Pat. No. '492 patent may aid the user in transporting the lift while the lift is in the water, it is still very cumbersome to transport and store once the lift has been moved from the water onto land.
It is desired to provide a boat lift which is less cumbersome and easily storable on land.